Once reserved for beach days, poolside lounging and quick trips to the dairy, the classic flip-flop is getting a rather unexpected upgrade. Enter: the jandal heel.
From barely-there kitten heels and sleek leather finishes to wedges and playful pops of colour, fashion labels are giving the laid-back silhouette a polished makeover. Suddenly, the shoe we’ve long associated with sandy feet and sunscreen is now making an unexpected appearance in our going-out wardrobes. And we’re not entirely mad about it.
There’s something rather appealing about the contrast. The nostalgic simplicity of a flip-flop meets the sophistication of a heel, resulting in a shoe that feels equal parts relaxed and fashion-forward.
But here’s where we’re divided: does adding a heel actually make the jandal more wearable, or are we simply dressing up a shoe that was never meant to leave the beach?
The trick to pulling off the trend is all in the styling. Think straight-leg jeans, maxi skirts, oversized jorts and slip dresses rather than traditional beachwear. It’s that easy, slightly undone summer dressing we do so well in New Zealand, with a little extra height to make an everyday outfit feel more considered. And if we’re going to have our ‘dogs’ out all summer, we might as well make it chic enough to wear beyond the beach.
Love them or loathe them, one thing is certain: the flip-flop has officially outgrown its beachside reputation. So, if you’re ready to wear them on a night out, these are the 12 we’re adding to cart.
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